As for the decision to let Masai Ujiri, the former Nuggets executive director of basketball operations, go to Toronto, Kroenke said ultimately it was up to Ujiri.

Kroenke said that Ujiri, who won the NBA's executive of the year award, told him not to match the Raptors' five-year, $15 million offer, which included other incentives.

Once that became the tone, Ujiri's departure was a certainty. Kroenke said he did not believe Ujiri would have stayed in the Nuggets front office even if the team would have matched Toronto's offer.Kroenke said the two had an agreement on a contract extension, but told Ujiri the Raptors were "the only team I would let you out of our agreement for."

"It wasn't a black-and-white situation, which a lot of people tried to make it," Kroenke said. "I don't think it was a situation regarding money at all. I know people say that all the time, because of the dollars that are thrown around in this league, but there are a lot of close relationships involved as well.

"It was a tough decision for him, but to be named the head of basketball to back to the team that gave him the first real shot in the front office, I think it was a tremendous opportunity for him and I wish him the best."

Kroenke said he wasn't going to stand in the way of Masai Ujiri leaving for his dream job as GM of the Toronto Raptors last week, and he couldn't stomach watching George Karl serve as a lame duck next season, so he fired him Thursday.

Ujiri and Kroenke had a handshake agreement on a new deal earlier this year, but Kroenke said the one team he would allow to step in and break up their partnership was the Raptors, the team that had given Ujiri his first shot at a front office job.

He said Ujiri told him not to try to match the reported five-year, $15 million offer from the Raptors because he'd already made up his mind he wanted to return to Toronto.

The flack he is getting from Denver fans is that he should have signed him to an extension before the end of the season. Once that EOY award came down, there was going to be market competition, and the opportunity to jump ship. He signs an extension in January, and the Raptors never even come knocking.

Kinda like how BC should have traded Bosh before he hit the open market. :cookie:

I, for one, didn't want him back at max contract. He has never been a max player and his time in Miami has proven that beyond the shadow of a doubt. Yes, he was a good player seeming great on a bad team instead of the industry standard "average player looking good on a bad team", but still not a super-star max contracts should be reserved for.

kicking himself for being so emotionally invested
in the Roller-coaster Raptors

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Join Date: Dec 2007

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This is probably saving face. It was probably like:

Conversation 1:

Ujiri: "I have an opportunity to be the GM of Toronto. They have promised me that they will let me go into Luxury Tax territory, and they have a big war chest to do so. I'd like to stay in Denver and continue to build on the foundation I have put into place, but can you make the same promise about team salary?"
Kroenke: (silence)

Conversation 2:

Kroenke: "OK, we won't match the Toronto offer, but when they ask we will say that you told us not to match"
Ujiri: "I'm OK with that."
---------

Everything Denver has done this offseason has been cost cutting measures - not paying Ujiri, not re-hiring George Karl, who would have demanded big bucks.

Reality is, even if Ujiri HADN'T asked Toronto not to match, the Nuggets were sending him packing.

Let us not forget, Ujiri replaced Mark Warkentein, who won the NBA Executive of the Year Award for the 08-09 season, in 2010 because he wanted more money. The only reason Denver came knocking on Ujiri's door to begin with was because their first choice, David Griffin, wasn't willing to be the lowest paid GM in the NBA.

The Nuggets treat their front office like its the Salvation Army. Eventually it is going to kick them in the ass. Thankfully they take this approach for Toronto's sake.